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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 SZ5x/vAe6YGjP92tURxpDGNN55JYJGslbVBgUY6vYz4Bawx4Q7x7p5aC1LvAK341
 SXNAPd8WnVGK2UAkhpTmMQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001056087-03-000099.txt : 20031030
<SEC-HEADER>0001056087-03-000099.hdr.sgml : 20031030
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031030202309
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001056087-03-000099
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031029
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031030

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BALLANTINE ELIZABETH
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001180607

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	333-46501
		FILM NUMBER:		03968022

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		MCCLATCHY CO LEGAL DEPT
		STREET 2:		2100 Q ST
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95816
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9163211826

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MCCLATCHY CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001056087
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NEWSPAPERS:  PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING & PRINTING [2711]
		IRS NUMBER:				94066175
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1230

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LEGAL DEPARTMENT
		STREET 2:		2100 Q STREET
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95852
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9163211846

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LEGAL DEPARTMENT
		STREET 2:		2100 Q STREET
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95816-6899

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MNI NEWCO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980218
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001056087</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MCCLATCHY CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MNI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001180607</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BALLANTINE ELIZABETH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2100 Q STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SACRAMENTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95816</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>800</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>65.03</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>52188</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></nature
OfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1200</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>65.05</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50988</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Commo
n Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>700</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>65.07</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50288</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transact
ionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>65.08</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>49288</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></tra
nsactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>200</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>65.10</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>49088</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8025</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By spouse and children</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownersh
ipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 5,717 shares held by trusts for the benefit of the reporting peron for which reporting person is a trustee.</footnote><footnote id="F2">8,025 shares are held by the reporting person's spouse and children, and in trust for the benefit of her children, each of whom shares her household.  Ms. Ballantine disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares and this report should not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of such securities for the purposes of Section 16 or for any other person.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Elizabeth Ballantine</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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